Stará Ľubovňa
| native_name_lang = | settlement_type = Town | image_skyline = Castle of Lubovna and museum of slovak village.jpg | image_alt = | image_caption = Stará Ľubovňa Castle and an open-air folk museum | image_flag = | flag_alt = | image_seal = | seal_alt = | image_shield = Staralubovna COA.jpg | shield_alt = | nickname = | motto = | image_map = Okres stara.png | map_alt = | map_caption = Location of Stará Ľubovňa District in Prešov Region | pushpin_map = Slovakia | pushpin_label_position = | pushpin_map_alt = Location of Stará Ľubovňa in Slovakia | pushpin_map1 = Slovakia Prešov Region | pushpin_label_position1 = | pushpin_map_alt1 = | pushpin_map_caption1 = Location of Stará Ľubovňa in Prešov Region | latd = 49 |latm =18 |lats = 34 |latNS = N | longd = 20 |longm = 40 |longs = 44 |longEW = E | coor_pinpoint = | coordinates_type = | coordinates_display = inline,title | coordinates_footnotes = | subdivision_type = Country | subdivision_name = Slovakia | subdivision_type1 = Region | subdivision_name1 = Prešov | subdivision_type2 = District | subdivision_name2 = Stará Ľubovňa | subdivision_type3 = | subdivision_name3 = | established_title = First mentioned | established_date = 1292 | founder = | seat_type = | seat = | government_footnotes = | leader_party = Independent | leader_title = Mayor | leader_name = Ľuboš Tomko | unit_pref = Metric | area_footnotes = | area_total_km2 = 30.79 | area_land_km2 = | area_water_km2 = | area_water_percent = | area_note = | elevation_footnotes = | elevation_m = 885 | population_footnotes = | population_total = 16 366 | population_as_of = 31-12-2014 | population_density_km2 = 531.34 | population_demonym = | population_note = | timezone1 = CET | utc_offset1 = +1 | timezone1_DST = CEST | utc_offset1_DST = +2 | postal_code_type = Postal code | postal_code = 064 01 | area_code_type = Area code | area_code = 421-52 | iso_code = | website = http://www.staralubovna.sk | footnotes = }} Stará Ľubovňa ( ; ; ; ) is a town in Stará Ľubovňa, Prešov Region of eastern Slovakia with approximately 16,000 inhabitants in northeastern Slovakia. The town consists of the districts Podsadek and Stará Ľubovňa. Geography Stará Ľubovňa is situated on the Poprad River south of the Polish border and east of the High Tatras. It is one of the oldest towns in the Spiš, an historic administrative county (comitatus) of the Kingdom of Hungary, and is today the administrative capital of the district of Stará Ľubovňa in the Prešov Region. History In 1292 Stará Ľubovňa is first mentioned as Libenow. Until it became a free royal town in 1364 the town fell under the jurisdiction of the castle. In 1412 it belonged to the 16 Spiš towns given by the Hungarian King Sigismund of Luxemburg as a deposit to King Władysław II of Poland. The pledge was part of the Treaty of Lubowla and was thought to be only for a short time, but it finally lasted for 360 years. Only in the course of the first Partition of Poland in 1772 during the reign of Maria Theresa of Austria the territory came back to the Kingdom of Hungary. The pledge was actually an advantage for the towns concerned because they did not have to submit themselves to the comitatus or nobility and had a neutral position in turmoils between Poland and Hungary. Sights From a hill over the city the castle of Ľubovňa dominates the city. The castle is open to the public and houses a museum about its history. From its already reconstructed tower there are good views over the surroundings. Next to the castle there is an open-air museum, Ľubovniansky skanzen, with many houses and other buildings showing the folk architecture of the region. The most interesting exhibit is the wooden Greek-Catholic church from Matysová, built in 1833. The old town consists mainly of the rectangular St. Nicolas Square which is surrounded by burgher’s houses of the 17th century. In the centre there is the gothic Roman Catholic Church of St. Nicolas built in 1280. Another building of interest is the new Greek-Catholic church of the Mother of Eternal Help in the south of the city. It was consecrated by Pope John Paul II on 22 April 1990 and is constructed in the shape of a royal crown. Demographics In the 2011 population census, the town had 16,341 residents. According to the 2001 census, the town had 16,227 inhabitants. 89.5% of inhabitants were Slovaks, 5.97% Roma, 1.48% Rusyn, 1.00% Ukrainian and 0.64% Czechs. The religious make-up was 67.65% Roman Catholics, 22.20% Greek Catholics, 5.01% people with no religious affiliation, 1.61% Orthodox and 0.81% Lutherans. Famous residents * Marcel Hossa, professional ice hockey forward * Marián Hossa, professional ice hockey right winger * * Zita Pleštinská, politician and Member of the European Parliament International relations Twin towns — Sister cities Stará Ľubovňa is twinned with: * Nowy Sącz which is to the north in Poland Gallery File:Olublocivertanlegi1.jpg File:Olublocivertanlegi2.jpg File:Olublocivertanlegi3.jpg File:Olublocivertanlegi4.jpg References Bibliography *Okresný národný výbor: Okres Stara Ľubovňa *Turistický sprievodca: Slovenské kráľovské mestá Bardejov, Kežmarok, Levoča, Stará Ľubovňa Notes External links *Official website *Museum of Stará Ľubovňa Category:Stará Ľubovňa Category:Cities and towns in Slovakia Category:Spiš Category:Stará Ľubovňa District Category:Established in 1292 Category:Valid name- locality of Slovakia